## Cannes Awards: Female-Led Films Triumph, Sean Baker’s ‘Anora’ Crowned with Palme d’Or

Cannes, France – May 25, 2024 – The 77th annual Cannes Film Festival culminated in a triumphant evening for female-centric narratives, culminating in Sean Baker’s groundbreaking “Anora” being awarded the coveted Palme d’Or.

### Grand Prizes for Inclusivity and Artistic Vision

Palme d’Or: Sean Baker’s “Anora,” a vibrant love story exploring the complexities of sex work, received the festival’s top honor. Baker, the first American filmmaker to win the Palme d’Or since 2011, dedicated the award to all sex workers, past, present, and future, highlighting the film’s social significance.

Grand Prix: Payal Kapadia’s “All We Imagine as Light” became the first Indian film in three decades to receive the Grand Prix. This poignant drama weaves together the lives of three Mumbai women, illuminating hidden connections and societal struggles.

### Gender Inclusivity in Acting and Filmmaking

Best Actor: Jesse Plemons’ masterful performance in Yorgos Lanthimos’ satirical “Kinds of Kindness” earned him the Best Actor award. Plemons’ transformative portrayal of three distinct characters captivated the jury.

Best Actresses: The Best Actress category was expanded to celebrate the ensemble cast of Jacques Audiard’s “Emilia Pérez.” Zoe Saldaña, Selena Gomez, and Karla Sofía Gascón shared the honor for their nuanced portrayals of women navigating a cartel boss’s disappearance and their own identities.

Best Director: Miguel Gomes’ audacious “Grand Tour” garnered the Best Director award. This visually stunning film, blending history and anthropology, follows a British civil servant’s extraordinary journey through Asia.

Special Award: Iranian filmmaker Mohammad Rasoulof, who defied personal risk, was honored with a Special Award for his political drama “The Seed of the Sacred Fig.” This powerful film explores the recent Women, Life, Freedom movement in Iran.

### Technical and Artistic Accolades

Best Screenplay: Coralie Fargeat’s “The Substance,” a gripping cosmetic-surgery thriller starring Demi Moore and Margaret Qualley, won Best Screenplay. The jury praised its “bold and beautifully bonkers” storytelling.

Camera d’Or: Halfdan Ullman Tondel’s “Armand” received the prestigious Camera d’Or for Best First Feature. The film’s poignant portrayal of a young man’s transformation resonated with the jury.

### Supporting Prizes and Special Mentions

Jury Prize: “Emilia Pérez” also won the Jury Prize, further solidifying its status as a festival favorite.

Special Mention: The Directors’ Fortnight selection “Mongrel,” co-directed by Chiang Wei Liang and You Qiao Yin, received a special mention for its innovative approach to filmmaking.

### Digital Revolution and Cinematic Experience

In a passionate speech, Sean Baker, the Palme d’Or recipient, emphasized the importance of theatrical cinema and its communal experience. He urged the industry to preserve the magic of watching films in a theater setting, rather than as a passive home viewing experience.

### Full List of Prizes

Competition

* Palme d’Or: “Anora,” Sean Baker
* Grand Prix: “All We Imagine as Light,” Payal Kapadia
* Director: Miguel Gomes, “Grand Tour”
* Actor: Jesse Plemons, “Kinds of Kindness”
* Actresses: “Emilia Pérez”
* Jury Prize: “Emilia Pérez”
* Special Award: Mohammad Rasoulof, “The Seed of the Sacred Fig”
* Screenplay: Coralie Fargeat, “The Substance”

Other Prizes

* Camera d’Or: “Armand,” Halfdan Ullman Tondel
* Camera d’Or Special Mention: “Mongrel,” Chiang Wei Liang, You Qiao Yin
* Short Film Palme d’Or: “The Man Who Could Not Remain Silent,” Nebojša Slijepčević
* Short Film Special Mention: “Bad for a Moment,” Daniel Soares
* Golden Eye Documentary Prize: “Ernest Cole: Lost and Found” and “The Brink of Dreams”
* Queer Palm: “Three Kilometers to the End of the World”
* Palme Dog: Kodi, “Palm Dog”
* FIPRESCI Award (Competition): “The Seed of the Sacred Fig,” Mohammad Rasoulof
* FIPRESCI Award (Un Certain Regard): “The Story of Souleymane,” Boris Lojkine
* FIPRESCI Award (Parallel Sections): “Desert of Namibia,” Yoko Yamanaka

Un Certain Regard

* Un Certain Regard Award: “Black Dog,” Guan Hu
* Jury Prize: “The Story of Souleymane,” Boris Lojkine
* Best Director Prize: (ex aequo) “The Damned,” Roberto Minervini; “On Becoming a Guinea Fowl,” Rungano Nyoni
* Performance Awards: “The Shameless,” Anasuya Sengupta; “The Story of Souleymane,” Abou Sangare
* Youth Prize: “Holy Cow! (Vingt Dieux),” Louise Courvoisier
* Special Mention: “Norah,” Tawfik Alzaidi

Directors’ Fortnight

* Europa Cinemas Label: “The Other Way Around,” Jonás Trueba
* Society of Dramatic Authors and Composers Prize: “This Life of Mine,” Sophie Fillières
* Audience Choice Award: “Universal Language,” Matthew Rankin

Critics’ Week

* Grand Prize: “Simon of the Mountain,” Federico Luis
* French Touch Prize: “Blue Sun Palace,” Constance Tsang
* GAN Foundation Award for Distribution: Jour2Fête, “Julie Keeps Quiet”
* Louis Roederer Foundation Rising Star Award: Ricardo Teodoro, “Baby”
* Leitz Cine Discovery Prize (short film): “Guil Sela,” Montsouris Park

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